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Police have been using tear gas to try to force Occupy protestors to leave the area of Frank Ogawa Plaza. NBC Bay Area's Cheryl Hurd was in the middle of the chaos. (Published Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011)

With the smell of tear gas still lingering in the air from a violent night in Oakland, city leaders and police were already bracing for more protests planned for Wednesday.

Occupy Oakland protesters vowed to make a second stand to take back their camp site outside City Hall at Frank Ogawa Plaza starting at 6 p.m.

Dramatic Photos: Tear Gas Deployed in Oakland

Hundreds of Occupy supporters tried and failed in their first effort Tuesday night in a rally and protest that turned violent at times.

On several occasions police officers fired rounds of tear gas at the crowd gathered at 14th and Broadway.

Oakland Police Moves Occupy Oakland Out

One Occupy supporter told reporters Wednesday morning that he hoped the group would be able to keep people from throwing things at police Wednesday night. He said if they could do that, they could get a huge crowd gathered. He said people left the area each time the tear gas was deployed and that caused their numbers to dwindle on Tuesday night.

Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said during a 9:15 p.m. news conference that his officers were "committed to facilitating peaceful protest and constitutional policing" and did not apologize for the use of tear gas.

Police Raid Occupy Oakland Tents

The city of Oakland said the reason tear gas was deployed was because protesters threw large rocks and bottles at officers after receiving the order to disperse.

Each time the tear gas was deployed the group left the area, but soon returned. The final tear gas episode happened around 11 p.m.

By 5 a.m. only a few protesters remained on the scene, countered by dozens of police officers.

Howard made it clear the goal of the officers Tuesday night was to make a stand and keep Frank Ogawa Plaza clear. The area had not been cleared of debris following a Tuesday morning raid.

Crews could be seen power-washing the area Wednesday morning. It was not clear if it would open to the public at some point Wednesday. They covered the grassy area of the plaza with a chain-linked fence.

Oakland police, as well as the Santa Clara County and Alameda County sheriff's departments and the California Highway Patrol, were at the scene to back up the OPD efforts.

People who took part in Tuesday night's protest showed off some of the things they say officers shot at them. One man (pictured to the right) found a bean bag and a shell casing on the ground.

The Occupy Oakland encampment began on Oct. 10.

City Administrator Deanna Santana said it was her call to have them removed. Police arrested people starting at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday because Santana said conditions had deteriorated and the city could no longer maintain public health and safety and crowd control.

Oakland police said 79 arrests were made at the camp site and six additional arrests were made at Snow Park a few blocks away near the corner of 19th and Harrison streets.

The city did not immediately release arrest numbers connected to Tuesday night's protests.

Below is a YouTube clip that has video from the protest. It shows chaos on the streets and at least one injury to a man who was hit in the head with something fired by a police officer's firearm. That man has been identified as an Iraq war veteran. Oakland's Highland hospital said he is in critical condition.